Supercharger Assembly

ABSTRACT

A vehicle supercharger assembly ( 110 ) comprises a dual generator comprising first and second co-axial relatively rotatable armatures ( 14   a,    14   b ), and a first disengageable clutch ( 32 ) between the armatures ( 14   a,    14 ), said first armature ( 14   a ) being adapted for permanent drive from a source of motive power, and said second armature ( 14   b ) being driven by said first armature ( 14   a ) on engagement of said first clutch ( 32 ); a supercharcharger impeller ( 24 ), the second armature ( 14   b ) driving the impeller ( 24 ) mechanically via a gear train; an electric motor coupled to the gear train and operable to adjust the rotational speed of the impeller ( 24 ); wherein, in use, the electric motor is electrically driven on demand from a generator comprising the second armature ( 14   b ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a supercharger assembly for an internal combustion engine and in particular, but not exclusively, to electric drives comprising a generator and motor in combination and a control method for the same. Aspects of the invention relate to a generator, to a supercharger assembly, to a control unit, to a method and to a vehicle.

BACKGROUND

Exhaust-driven turbochargers are typically provided for internal combustion engines in order to improve their performance by increasing the pressure, temperature and density of air in an engine inlet manifold which is used to supply a fuel/air mixture to the engine cylinders. This makes it possible to burn more fuel in each cycle of the engine, thereby increasing the power output. Exhaust-driven turbochargers make use of energy contained in the engine exhaust gases which would otherwise go to waste, and therefore can contribute to an improvement in the overall efficiency of the engine. However, single-stage turbochargers are not particularly effective at the low rates of exhaust gas flow which are associated with low engine operating speeds. This leads to the problem of ‘turbo lag’, i.e. a noticeable delay between a driver demanding power and the engine delivering the required response, because the engine speed needs to rise to a certain level before the turbocharger operates effectively. These problems can be ameliorated to some extent by the use of multi-stage turbochargers.

An alternative solution is to provide a supercharger in addition to the turbocharger. The supercharger is driven mechanically by the engine, to perform the same task of raising the pressure, temperature and density of air in the inlet manifold when the engine is running at low speeds such that the turbocharger is ineffective. A supercharger is engaged at the instant of a driver demanding power to substantially increase the volume of air admitted to the engine. With appropriate fuelling, a supercharger can eliminate turbo lag. An additional benefit is that the immediate increase in air flow allows the turbocharger impeller to spool up more quickly than would otherwise be the case. However, as the supercharger is driven mechanically by the engine, it increases the load on the engine and thereby increases fuel consumption. Therefore, as soon as the turbocharger is effective, the supercharger may be deactivated.

Control strategies have been developed for operating a supercharger and turbocharger both sequentially and simultaneously, so as to provide the desired range of engine performance and engine response.

Superchargers may be driven directly from the vehicle engine, but this arrangement tends to be inflexible should the installation envelope change, for example because the engine is to be fitted to a different engine compartment. Accordingly, it has been proposed to drive the supercharger mechanically via the armature of the vehicle generator, which provides for different installation possibilities within an engine compartment.

In one arrangement the supercharger is mounted co-axially with the vehicle generator, which is in turn driven by the vehicle engine by a multi-vee belt which is mounted on a pulley which is coupled to the generator. The generator provides energy to the vehicle, and the armature of the generator is coupled mechanically to the supercharger via an epicyclic gearbox so as to provide a coaxial arrangement which increases the speed of the supercharger relative to the generator.

An epicyclic gearbox is composed of an outer gear ring or annulus, a plurality of inner planet gears referred to below simply as planets, and a central gear or sun. The sun is located at the centre of the annulus, with the planets located between, and meshing with, both the sun and the annulus. The planets are attached to a common planet carrier, which maintains their relative positions. If the planet carrier is rotated while the annulus is held stationary, the planets are caused to rotate around the inner surface of the annulus. As the planets rotate, this in turn causes the sun to rotate at a speed which is determined by the gearing ratio. Alternatively, the planet carrier may be held in position, in which case rotating the annulus causes the sun to rotate. In this way, the epicyclic gearbox provides a coaxial arrangement which generates the required speed.

The speed at which the vehicle engine operates is variable within a range of, for example, 500 to 7000 revolutions per minute (rpm). In the case where the planet carrier is held stationary, the arrangement described above produces a speed increase of around 30:1, through a combination of a 3:1 increase from the pulley, and a 10:1 increase from the epicyclic gearbox. Therefore, the expected operating range for the supercharger impeller in this arrangement is 15,000 to 210,000 rpm. However, in order to achieve optimal performance, it is desirable to maintain the speed of rotation of the supercharger impeller at a relatively constant level during operation, generally at around 120,000 rpm.

To this end, it has been proposed to couple the planet carrier of the epicyclic gearbox to an electric motor. By driving this motor forward or in reverse, as required, the speed of the supercharger can be adjusted to its optimal level. Power for the supercharger motor is provided from the vehicle generator, which is necessarily increased in size. This arrangement provides the benefit that the main work of driving the supercharger is performed by the vehicle engine, while the electric motor merely provides a fine-tuning action. The power requirement of the supercharger is such that it is impractical to attempt to use an electric motor in isolation to drive the supercharger in a vehicle environment.

If a supercharger is used in combination with a turbocharger, the supercharger is primarily active when the engine is operating at low speed, for example when the vehicle is pulling away. Once the engine speed is sufficient, the turbocharger takes over from the supercharger, as this saves on energy requirements. In the above-described arrangement, the supercharger is directly connected to the generator, and is thus constantly driven even when not being used. However it can be made to idle by, for example, opening the delivery side to atmosphere. This reduces the load on the supercharger impeller, and therefore in turn the energy which the supercharger draws when idling is reduced.

However, this arrangement retains the disadvantage that the supercharger is permanently connected to the generator armature, and thus absorbs some energy even whilst deactivated. It is well known that energy efficiency is a key concern in the design and manufacture of new vehicles, and therefore any measures which can be taken to reduce consumption are important.

Against this background, it is an aim of the invention to provide an arrangement that avoids idling of the supercharger, but maintains flexibility of installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle supercharger assembly comprising:

-   -   a dual generator comprising first and second co-axial relatively         rotatable armatures, and a first disengageable clutch between         the armatures, said first armature being adapted for permanent         drive from a source of motive power, and said second armature         being driven by said first armature on engagement of said first         clutch;     -   a supercharcharger impeller, the second armature driving the         impeller mechanically via a gear train;     -   an electric motor coupled to the gear train and operable to         adjust the rotational speed of the impeller;     -   wherein, in use, the electric motor is electrically driven on         demand from a generator comprising the second armature

The dual generator allows for electrical and mechanical connection of a supercharger on demand, thus avoiding idle rotation thereof. The source of motive power is typically a vehicle internal combustion engine. In one embodiment the dual generator comprises a primary generator comprising said one armature for supplying conventional vehicle systems, and a secondary generator comprising said other armature for supplying an electric motor of a supercharger.

By integrating the dual generator into a supercharger assembly, it becomes possible to disengage the supercharger impeller when supercharging is not required, in order to prevent idling of the supercharger impeller. This reduces the load which is driven by the source of motive power, thereby reducing fuel consumption of the vehicle. The electric motor provides the ability to adjust the rotational speed of the supercharger impeller, in use, to an optimum level. The motor of the supercharger assembly may be bi-directional.

It will be understood that in addition to providing supercharging on demand, the dual generator arrangement allows for supercharged and non-supercharged variants of a vehicle engine, but with a common primary generator. Furthermore the secondary generator may be varied in capacity for driving different superchargers associated, for example with gasoline and diesel derivatives of the same basic engine.

The second armature may be associated with a generating capacity equal to or greater than said first armature.

In one embodiment, the first and second armatures are journalled one within the other for rotation about a common axis.

Conveniently, the first clutch may be provided axially between said armatures.

One or both of the first and second armatures may comprise an electric motor.

The impeller may be co-axial with the first and second armatures. In this embodiment, the impeller may be journalled in the second armature.

The dual generator may be operable as a dual motor to drive said source of motive power. In this arrangement, the dual motor may be operable in conjunction with said electric motor to drive said source of motive power.

The gear train may be an epicyclic gear train. The second armature may drive said impeller mechanically via the annulus and planets of the epicyclic gear train and said electric motor may drive the planet carrier of the epicyclic gear train.

The supercharger assembly may further comprise a second clutch for selectively locking and unlocking the epicyclic gear train. In this embodiment, the electric motor may comprise a third armature which is arranged coaxially with the first and second armatures, wherein the electric motor provides variable, bi-directional drive to adjust the rotational speed of the supercharger impeller when the epicyclic gear train is unlocked by the second clutch.

The second clutch beneficially acts to lock the epicyclic gear train which effectively couples the dual generator to the electric motor, thus enabling the two to act together to provide motive force. In the case where the electric motor comprises a third armature, the second clutch effectively couples the second armature to the third armature when the epicyclic gearbox is locked.

The second clutch may be arranged to lock the epicyclic gear train such that relative rotation of the planets and the annulus is prevented. In this embodiment, the second clutch may be in the form of a dog clutch arranged to interengage the annulus and at least one of the planets. Disengagement of the dog clutch may be effected hydraulically.

The dual generator may be arranged to be operated as a motor to drive the first armature, and the generator and motor are arranged to cooperate when the epicyclic gear train is locked by the second clutch, thereby to supply a drive force to a vehicle engine.

The electric motor of the supercharger assembly may comprise a third armature which is coaxial with the first and second armatures, and a second clutch between the third armature and the second armature, the third armature being driven by the second armature on engagement of the second clutch, wherein the third armature provides additional generating capacity to the generator when coupled to the second armature when both the first and second clutches are engaged.

Therefore the dual generator of the supercharger assembly of the invention may be operated as a motor, optionally in conjunction with the electric motor, in order to drive the vehicle engine, for example as a belt integrated starter generator (BISG) or as an anti-stalling measure.

The dual generator can provide additional driving capacity which may not be available from a conventional generator sized only to meet the normal electrical load of a vehicle.

The third armature may be operable as a secondary generator to increase the overall generating capacity of the vehicle when the first clutch is engaged and the epicyclic gear train is locked by the second clutch. In this embodiment, the first, second and third armatures are effectively coupled to each other and therefore rotate together. This allows for an increase in the generating capacity of the arrangement on top of the capacity provided by the dual generator. This embodiment therefore provides a triple generator.

According to a another aspect of the invention there is provided a control unit for a supercharger assembly as described above, and comprising an electronic control unit for controlling operation of the first clutch, the second clutch and the electric motor as appropriate, and for enabling the supercharger.

The control unit may determine coupling of said electric motor with the generator comprising the second armature.

The control unit may be further adapted to configure said dual generator on a dual motor adapted to drive said source of motive power.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preparing for operation of a vehicle supercharger assembly as described above, and comprising the steps of: (i) detecting a requirement for supercharging; and (ii) engaging the first clutch to mechanically couple the first and second armatures, and operating the motor to bring the impeller to a desired speed. The motor may be electrically coupled to a generator associated with said second armature.

The invention also extends to a method of operating a vehicle supercharger assembly as described above, and comprising the aforementioned preparing method, and the further steps of bringing said supercharger on load, and electrically varying the speed of said motor to maintain the output of said supercharger at a desired rate.

The invention also extends to a method of providing a belt integrated starter generator comprising configuring the dual generator of the supercharger assembly described above as a dual motor, and engaging said first clutch.

The invention also extends to a method of providing an anti-stalling device for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of configuring the dual generator of the supercharger assembly described above as a dual motor, and engaging the first clutch. The method may further include using said dual motor and said electric motor in unison.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a dual generator of the above described supercharger assembly, wherein the method comprises disengaging the first clutch in at least one of the following conditions: (a) during an engine cold-start procedure; and (b) when the vehicle is idling.

Operating the supercharger assembly in this way advantageously avoids idling of the second armature and the supercharger impeller, when either of the listed conditions apply, thereby reducing fuel consumption.

For those embodiments including a second clutch, the method may further comprise unlocking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch when the first clutch is disengaged. This beneficially places the second clutch in the appropriate configuration for all of the operating conditions that are likely to follow, therefore saving time when a new condition is initiated.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating a a supercharger assembly as described above, wherein the method comprises engaging the first clutch in any one of the following conditions: (1) when the ambient temperature is low and the engine is idling; and (2) when the speed of the vehicle is decreasing and there is no torque demand placed on the engine.

Operating the the supercharger assembly in this way advantageously increases the generating capacity of the arrangement by adding the generating capacity of the second armature when energy requirements are higher as a result of one of the listed conditions applying.

For those embodiments of the supercharger assembly including a second clutch and a third armature, the method may comprise engaging the first clutch, locking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch and operating the third armature as a secondary generator in any one of the following conditions: (1) when the ambient temperature is low and the engine is idling; and (2) when the speed of the vehicle is decreasing and there is no torque demand placed on the engine. This approach advantageously increases the generating capacity of the arrangement further for conditions where energy requirements are raised.

For those embodiments of the supercharger assembly in which the dual generator is arranged to be operated as a motor to drive the first armature, and the generator and motor are arranged to cooperate when the epicyclic gear train is locked using the second clutch, thereby to supply a drive force to a vehicle engine, the method may comprise engaging the first clutch and locking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch, and subsequently using the drive force to restart the engine following a cessation of engine operation. In this way, the supercharger assembly may be operated as a BISG. Additionally, the method may comprise engaging the first clutch and locking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch, and using the drive force to provide motive power to the vehicle. In this way, the supercharger may be operational to act as a micro-hybrid to propel the vehicle over short distances.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising an exhaust-driven turbocharger and a supercharger assembly as described above, in which the supercharger assembly and the turbocharger are arranged to operate sequentially.

The vehicle may be arranged to use the turbocharger and not the supercharger if the engine speed is above a first threshold. As the turbocharger offers a reduction in fuel consumption compared with the supercharger assembly, this arrangement beneficially ensures that when engine speed is sufficient to drive the turbocharger regardless of operating conditions, the turbocharger is always used.

The vehicle may be arranged to use the supercharger and not the turbocharger if the engine speed is below a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold. This ensures that the supercharger is automatically used when the engine speed in insufficient to drive the turbocharger.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a vehicle as described above, wherein the method comprises uncoupling the first armature from the gear train when the engine speed is above the first threshold.

The invention also extends to a method of operating a vehicle as described above, wherein the method comprises coupling the first armature to the gear train when the engine speed falls below the second threshold.

The invention also extends to a method of operating a vehicle as described above, wherein the method comprises uncoupling the first armature from the gear train during steady-state engine operating conditions when the engine speed is above the second threshold speed, and when the vehicle is towing a relatively high load.

For those embodiments of the vehicle having a supercharger assembly including a second clutch, the invention also extends to a method comprising coupling the first armature to the gear train and unlocking the gear train during a period of increasing torque demand upon the engine when the engine is operating below the first threshold speed.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for operating a supercharger assembly of a vehicle, wherein the second armature provides additional generating capacity when the first clutch is engaged, and wherein the method comprises disengaging the first clutch when the additional generating capacity is not required. The generator may further comprise a third armature which is coaxial with the first and second armatures, and a second clutch between the third armature and the second armature. The third armature may be driven by the second armature on engagement of the second clutch, wherein the third armature provides additional generating capacity to the generator when coupled to the second armature when both the first and second clutches are engaged, and wherein the method comprises disengaging the second clutch when the additional generating capacity from the third armature is not required.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle having a supercharger assembly as described above.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided vehicle having a control unit as described above.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a dual generator of a vehicle comprising co-axial relatively rotatable armatures, and a disengageable clutch between the armatures, one of said armatures being adapted for permanent drive from a source of motive power, and the other of said armatures being driven by said one armature on engagement of said clutch.

The dual generator allows for electrical and mechanical connection of a supercharger on demand, thus avoiding idle rotation thereof. The source of motive power is typically a vehicle internal combustion engine. In one embodiment the dual generator comprises a primary generator comprising said one armature for supplying conventional vehicle systems, and a secondary generator comprising said other armature for supplying an electric motor of a supercharger.

Another aspect of the invention provides a vehicle supercharger assembly comprising a dual generator of the invention, an epicyclic gear train, an electric motor and a supercharger impeller, said other armature driving said impeller mechanically via the annulus and planets of the epicyclic gear train, said electric motor driving the planet carrier of the epicyclic gear train, and said electric motor being electrically driven on demand from a generator comprising said other armature.

It will be understood that in addition to providing supercharging on demand, the dual generator arrangement allows for supercharged and non-supercharged variants of a vehicle engine, but with a common primary generator. Furthermore the secondary generator may be varied in capacity for driving different superchargers associated, for example with gasoline and diesel derivatives of the same basic engine.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a control system for a supercharger assembly, a method of preparing for operation of a supercharger assembly, and a method of operating a supercharger assembly.

In another aspect the dual generator of the invention may be operated as a motor in order to drive the vehicle engine, for example as a belt integrated starter generator (BISG) or as an anti-stalling measure.

The dual generator can provide additional driving capacity which may not be available from a conventional generator sized only to meet the normal electrical load of a vehicle.

Within the scope of this application it is expressly envisaged that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and/or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. For example, features disclosed in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, except where such features are incompatible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like components are assigned like numerals, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic end elevation of a generator/supercharger assembly, representing both a prior art arrangement and an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an axial cross-section on line A-A of FIG. 1 for the case where the generator/supercharger assembly is an arrangement which is known in the prior art;

FIG. 3 is an axial cross-section on line A-A of FIG. 1 for the case where the generator/supercharger assembly is an arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention including a first clutch and a second clutch;

FIG. 4 is a graph which indicates the engine operating range of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a table which outlines an embodiment of a control regime which may be used with the arrangement shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a rearrangement of the table in FIG. 5, in which different control scenarios have been grouped according to different configurations of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for implementing the control regime in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is an illustration of a vehicle comprising the supercharger generator arrangement in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 9 is an axial cross-section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1 for the case where the generator/supercharger assembly is an alternative embodiment to that in FIG. 3, in which only the first clutch is provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional supercharger generator arrangement 10 comprises a drive pulley 12, driven by a conventional serpentine auxiliaries drive belt of a vehicle engine (not shown). The pulley 12 is coupled to an armature 14 of a vehicle generator, e.g. an alternator. The generator armature 14 is in turn coupled to an annulus 16 of an epicyclic gear train, comprising a gearing mechanism having planets 18, and a sun 20 directly connected to a drive shaft 22 of an impeller 24 of a supercharger. The planets 18 are rotatably mounted on a planet carrier 26, which is connected to an armature 28 of an electric motor, which surrounds the drive shaft 22. The planets 18 mesh with both the annulus 16 and the sun 20, such that if the planet carrier 26 is held stationary, rotation of the annulus 16 causes both the planets 18 and the sun 20 to rotate. The impeller 24 is coupled to the sun 20 via the drive shaft 22, and therefore when the sun 20 rotates, the impeller 24 also rotates. The impeller 24 is located within a chamber (not shown) forming part of an air inlet system for the vehicle engine. When the impeller 24 rotates, this acts to raise the pressure, temperature and density of the engine inlet air in the inlet manifold, which increases performance of the engine as described earlier. The magnitude of the pressure, temperature and density rise of the inlet air is determined primarily by the rotational speed of the impeller 24.

The components of the supercharger generator arrangement 10 are arranged co-axially about a common axis of rotation 30, and the impeller drive shaft 22 is journalled in a cavity 31 which is formed at the centre of the annulus 16 as illustrated. Other components, such as the stators of the generator and motor, and the supercharger housing, are not illustrated, but will be understood to be necessary and form no part of the present invention, as such. The motor armature 28 is mounted so as to rotate with the planet carrier 26, and independently of the other components of the supercharger generator arrangement 10, according to a drive force supplied by the electric motor.

In use, when the vehicle engine is running, the auxiliaries drive belt drives the pulley 12, causing it to rotate about axis 30. The angular speed at which the pulley 12 rotates is typically three times the vehicle engine speed, due to the ratio of the diameter of the pulley 12 to the diameter of a corresponding pulley on the engine (not shown) which drives the auxiliaries drive belt. The rotation of the pulley 12 in turn causes the generator armature 14 to rotate, thereby generating electrical energy in the generator. Additionally, the annulus 16 of the epicyclic gearbox, which is coupled to the generator armature 14 and the pulley 12, is rotated at the same angular speed as the pulley 12. If the motor armature 28 and the planet carrier 26 are held stationary while the annulus 16 rotates, the planets 18 are rotated by the rotating annulus 16. The planets 18 rotate in the same sense as the annulus 16, although at a higher angular speed, because of their smaller diameter. Rotation of the planets 18 gives rise to rotation of the sun 20, the drive shaft 22 and the impeller 24, but in the opposite sense. The angular speed at which the impeller 24 rotates is therefore determined by the gear ratio of the sun 20 to the planets 18, and also the gear ratio of the planets 18 to the annulus 16. Typically, the components of the epicyclic gearbox are arranged to provide an overall gearing ratio of approximately ten to one. Therefore, when the motor armature 28 is held stationary, the angular speed at which the impeller 24 rotates is ten times that of the pulley 12, and therefore thirty times that of the vehicle engine. As noted previously, this provides a typical range of speed for the impeller 24 of between 15,000 and 210,000 rpm.

As mentioned earlier, it is generally desirable to control the speed of the impeller 24 within a much smaller range than this, at around 120,000 rpm, in order to provide optimal performance. Therefore, the motor armature 28 is driven by the motor in order to adjust the rotational speed of the impeller 24. If the vehicle engine speed is low, such that the speed of the impeller would be too low if the planet carrier 26 remained stationary, the motor turns the motor armature 28 and the planet carrier 26 in the opposite sense to the rotation of the annulus 16. This increases the rotational speed of the annulus 16 relative to the centres of the planets 18. This causes the planets 18 to move around the annulus 16 faster and therefore rotate about their own axes with a higher angular speed, which in turn increases the angular speed of the sun 20 and the impeller 24. In this way, the rotational speed of the impeller 24 is increased to its optimal level when the vehicle engine speed is low.

Correspondingly, if the engine speed is high, such that the rotational speed of the impeller 24 would be too high if the planet carrier 26 remained stationary, this is compensated for by rotating the motor armature 28 and planet carrier 26 in the same sense as the annulus 16, albeit at a slower rotational speed than that of the annulus 16. This reduces the rotational speed of the annulus 16 relative to the centres of the planets 18, and therefore reduces the speed at which the sun 20 and in turn the impeller 24 are rotated. In this way, the rotational speed of the impeller 24 is decreased to its optimal level when the vehicle engine speed is high.

A control system is provided in the vehicle, for example in a standard engine management unit (EMU), which determines the operation of the supercharger generator arrangement 10. Typically, when not in use, the supercharger is unloaded by opening the chamber in which the impeller 24 is located to atmosphere, and the epicyclic gear train idles with the supercharger impeller 24. When required, the supercharger is brought on-load, for example by closing a vent on the air chamber, and the speed of the supercharger impeller 24 is controlled as described above.

The generator capacity is chosen so that a sufficient electrical reserve is provided to meet normal vehicle requirements and the additional demand of the electric motor. Normal maximum vehicle demand may be about 2.5 kW, and the maximum demand of the motor armature 28 about 3 kW. It will thus be understood that the rotating mass of the generator armature 14 is substantially greater than for a non-supercharger variant.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention, in which a supercharger generator arrangement 110 having a dual clutch system is provided. The arrangement 110 includes a first clutch 32 which is associated with the generator, and a second clutch 34, which is associated with the epicyclic gear train and therefore the supercharger impeller 24.

The first clutch 32 provides the ability to isolate the generator end of the supercharger generator arrangement 110 from the supercharger end. In this embodiment, the generator armature 14′ is divided into two portions: a first armature 14 a which is coupled to the pulley 12; and a second armature 14 b which is coupled to the annulus 16 of the epicyclic gear train. In this way, the generator armature 14′ is arranged as a dual generator with variable generating capacity, with the first armature 14 a being arranged for permanent drive from a source of motive power such as the vehicle engine via the pulley 12, although it will be appreciated that the first armature 14 a is not driven via the pulley 12 when the vehicle engine is not running. The first armature 14 a is associated with the vehicle engine, and the second armature 14 b is associated with the supercharger. Accordingly, the first armature 14 a is sized to suit the normal vehicle demands, and the second armature 14 b is sized to provide the additional electrical energy which is required to drive the motor armature 28, which in this arrangement is a third armature, when the supercharger impeller 24 is operational. The second armature 14 b is formed with a projection 36 which is rotatably and slidably received in a corresponding recess 38 formed in the first armature 14 a, but this is only one of several possibilities for ensuring rotation on the axis 30. Thus, with this embodiment, the conventional generator described above is divided so that, in effect, two units are provided, each capable of independent operation.

The stator of the generator is not illustrated in FIG. 3, but in this embodiment both generator armatures 14 a, 14 b have a common stator. The common stator may include a respective winding for each of the generator armatures 14 a, 14 b. In other embodiments, each generator armature 14 a, 14 b has a respective stator.

The first and second armatures 14 a, 14 b are coupled by means of the first clutch 32, which in this embodiment comprises first and second facings 40, 42. In this way the second armature 14 b is arranged to be driven by the first armature 14 a when the first clutch 32 is engaged. The facings 40, 42 engage on demand, through the action of an actuating mechanism (not shown) to couple the second armature 14 b for rotation with the first armature 14 a. Thus, the first clutch 32 of this embodiment operates as a friction clutch. However, any suitable clutch device may be employed, including for example those employing magneto-rheological fluids which are familiar to the skilled person.

In use, the first clutch 32 is disengaged when the additional generating capacity of the second armature 14 b and/or operation of the supercharger impeller 24 are not required, in which case the second armature 14 b, epicyclic gear train and supercharger impeller 24 are not driven, and typically stationary. As a result, the fuel consumption of the vehicle engine is reduced, because the windage, churning and friction associated with rotation of the supercharger components are avoided. Also, since the second armature 14 b is disengaged from the first armature 14 a, the rotational inertia of the generator armature 14′ is also substantially reduced as compared with the conventional arrangement, thereby allowing a more rapid change of engine speed. This arrangement is desirable, as the power requirements upon the generator are greatly reduced when the supercharger impeller 24 is not operating, since there is no need to expend energy by rotating both generator armatures 14 a, 14 b. Thus, when the supercharger is not being used, the generator is not generating excess electrical energy which is not required at that moment. Therefore, fuel consumption is further reduced.

When the supercharger is required, the first clutch 32 is engaged by bringing the first and second facings 40, 42 into contact with one another using the actuating mechanism. The second armature 14 b is then caused to rotate with the first armature 14 a, which in turn drives the epicyclic gear train. The motor armature 28 is driven electrically by the generator at a speed and rotational sense appropriate to the desired output of the supercharger. Therefore, when the first clutch is engaged, or closed, the supercharger generator arrangement 110 operates in exactly the same manner as the prior art arrangement 10 described above.

The second clutch 34 operates to lock the planets 18 to the annulus 16, thus preventing relative rotation of the planets 18 and the annulus 16. In this way, the second clutch 34 acts to lock the epicyclic gear train. In this embodiment, the second clutch 34 is provided in the form of a dog clutch, so that rotation of the planets 18 is prevented by the second clutch 34 through interference, and not by friction. The second clutch 34 comprises a main body 44 which is attached to the annulus 16, between an inside face of the annulus 16 and the planets 18. The annulus 16 is formed with an annular chamber 46 which surrounds the cavity 31 within which the drive shaft 22 is received. The main body 44 of the second clutch 34 is formed with a projection 48 on its inner edge which extends into the annular chamber 46. The main body 44 comprises a dog 50 which extends from an outer edge of the main body 44. Each of the planets 18 includes a recess 52 which is arranged to receive the dog 50 of the second clutch 34. In this embodiment, there is a single dog 50, which engages the nearest planet 18, although in other embodiments the second clutch 34 comprises a respective dog 50 for each planet 18.

The extension 48 of the main body 44 is slidably received in the annular chamber 46, such that the main body 44 is able to move towards and away from the planets 18. This movement may be effected by supplying high-pressure oil into the space between the extension 48 and an end face of the annular chamber 46. The oil is conveniently supplied by a pump (not shown) to distribute oil throughout the prior art supercharger generator arrangement 10. The oil penetrates the space beyond the extension 48 of the main body 44 through a channel 54 which is formed in the body of the annulus 16. A spring 56 is provided on the opposite side of the extension 44 to the high pressure oil. The spring 56 is retained by a circlip 57 and acts as a return mechanism to urge the main body 44 back into the annular chamber 46 when the high pressure oil is removed.

When the second clutch 34 is open, and the main body 44 is in a retracted position away from the planets 18, the planets 18 are free to rotate. When the main body 44 is moved towards the planets 18 into a closed position under the action of high-pressure oil, the dog 50 engages with a recess 52 in one of the planets 18, which prevents the planets 18 from rotating. In this way, the second clutch 34 disengages or disables the epicyclic gear train.

When the second clutch 34 is closed and the epicyclic gear train is disabled, this causes the entire supercharger generator arrangement 110 to rotate together at the same speed. In particular, in this situation, the motor armature 28 is forced to rotate at the same speed as both the impeller 24 and, if the first clutch 32 is closed, the pulley 12. Therefore, when the second clutch 34 is closed, the motor armature 28 may be driven by either the impeller 24 or the pulley 12, depending on the vehicle operating conditions. Closing the second clutch 34 may additionally be viewed as effectively coupling the motor armature 28 to the second armature 14 b. In this way, the motor armature 28 can be used as a secondary generator in certain situations to increase overall generating capacity. Therefore, the system provides a triple generator arrangement in certain circumstances which beneficially offers an increased charging rate of the vehicle battery when the two generators cooperate.

Alternatively, the generator armature 14′ may be operated in reverse to act as a motor and provide drive to the vehicle, either to re-start the vehicle engine, or to drive the vehicle directly over short distances. This may be useful, for example, if the engine is stopped and then re-started again within a short time period while the engine is still hot, for example when the vehicle is sitting in slow-moving traffic, or waiting at traffic lights. In this situation, the generator may be used as a belt-integrated starter-generator (BISG), to restart the vehicle engine after each cessation of vehicle movement. Restarting the engine in this way is far more fuel-efficient that a cold-start procedure. Therefore, such a system and control strategy can be used to save fuel in, city driving where stops are frequent, and stopping the engine reduces the amount of time that it spends idling. However, the use of the generator armature 14′ in this way is dependent on the engine components still being hot such that the engine is easier to start. In particular, when the engine lubricating oil is hot it is more effective, which means that the frictional forces which must be overcome in order to start the engine are reduced. If the engine cools too much, for example if the vehicle is stopped for a more extended time period, then the drive belts will not cope with the increased forces required to restart the engine. As such, using the generator in this way is limited to situations where the engine is still hot.

Furthermore, a generator may be used as a motor to provide an anti-stalling mechanism, where a region of the engine operating map may tend towards stalling; by this means a minimum engine speed is maintained until the vehicle engine moves into a different region of the engine operating map.

Generally, a vehicle generator may be over-sized in order to also serve in BISG or anti-stalling mode. The ability to effectively couple the generator armatures 14 a, 14 b to the motor armature 28 by closing both the first and second clutches 32, 34 enables the motor armature 28 to provide additional power for performing the restart function described above. This may minimise the amount by which the size of the vehicle generator must be increased in order to provide the BISG functionality. The dual generator arrangement, in conjunction with the secondary generator, provides additional motor capacity for BISG or anti-stalling, at minimal additional cost, it being understood that in both these modes of use supercharging is not required. It will also be understood that whilst the supercharger is unloaded, motive power can be provided not only from motors comprising the armatures 14 a, 14 b, but also from the motor armature 28.

In a further refinement, the generator armature 14′ together with the motor armature 28 may be used to drive the normal internal combustion engine as a micro-hybrid, optionally in conjunction with the motor armature 28 of the supercharger. Such an arrangement, dependent upon the capacity of the vehicle battery, may provide short term motive power or assistance for the vehicle; in particular in low speed city driving. When the armatures 14, 28 are driven, the vehicle engine effectively freewheels, and the torque is passed to the transmission to propel the vehicle. It will be appreciated that using the armatures 14, 28 to drive the engine in this way consumes a considerable amount of energy, thus the range over which the vehicle may be propelled in this manner is limited.

The skilled person will appreciate that a supercharger may be required for a relatively short proportion of engine running time; accordingly a considerable saving of fuel is possible by elimination of windage, churning and friction losses through the ability to disengage the supercharger when it is not required.

The supercharger generator arrangement 110 also allows for engagement of the first clutch 32 in anticipation of a requirement for operation of the supercharger impeller 24, thus bringing the supercharger impeller 24 up to speed in advance of loading the impeller 24 in the chamber and enabling operation thereof. The EMU may, for example, monitor accelerator pedal position and/or rate of change of accelerator pedal position, and signal engagement of the first clutch 32 just before supercharging is required. The motor armature 28 may also be driven for this purpose from the permanently driven generator (i.e. armature 14 a) since the additional electrical requirement is low because the supercharger is unloaded.

Thereafter, typically a moment later, the supercharger is brought on load, and the motor armature 28 is driven from the generator associated with the second armature 14 b. By this means the supercharger impeller 24 may be driven, whilst unloaded, at a speed appropriate for instant supercharging, if required.

In an alternative embodiment the second armature 14 b may be driven directly, for example powered by a vehicle battery or from the permanently driven first armature 14 a, to bring the second armature 14 b up to a speed compatible with the speed of the first armature 14 a. Such an arrangement both reduces the engagement loading on clutch facings 40, 42, and speeds up the impeller 24 ready for supercharging.

This embodiment relies upon the use of a rotary electrical machine as both generator and motor, which can be readily accomplished with appropriate design and controls. When supercharging is required, the motor comprising armature 14′ may be converted instantly into a generator for supplying energy to power the supercharger motor 28.

The desired speed or output of the supercharger of any embodiment may be given by an algorithm or look-up table of a memory of the EMU, according to empirical testing of a particular engine configuration, and the motor 28 driven accordingly by a suitable control system.

Where speed of the armatures 14 a, 14 b can be matched by utilizing the armature 14 b in a motor, it will be understood that a dog clutch may be used to replace the progressive engagement provided by a friction clutch or a magneto-rheological coupling, or the like. Such an arrangement may permit a more instant response, and be less complex. A dog clutch may include a speed matching device, such as is provided in a synchromesh hub of a vehicle gearbox.

With reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a control regime according to an embodiment of the invention, which is to be applied to the above-described supercharger generator arrangement 110 is illustrated. This embodiment of the control regime applies when the supercharger generator arrangement 110 is used in conjunction with a turbocharger. FIG. 4 shows the duty cycle for the supercharger impeller 24 throughout a typical engine operating range for a vehicle. As shown in the graph, the impeller 24 is regularly operational in the range of 750 to 2000 rpm. This is because at these low engine speeds the speed of the engine exhaust gases is too low to provide sufficient power to drive the turbocharger. Therefore, the supercharger is used in order to eliminate “turbo lag”, as described previously.

In the 2000 to 4000 rpm range, the supercharger is used intermittently; normally the turbocharger operates effectively at these engine speeds. However, if there is a sudden change in torque demand, there may be a lag as the turbo catches up. This may happen, for example, during acceleration. Therefore, the supercharger is used during the period of changing demand to ensure consistent power delivery from the engine, until the turbocharger has had time to spool up.

Above 4000 rpm, the associated speed of the engine exhaust gases is sufficient to drive the turbocharger in most situations, and therefore the supercharger is rarely used in this range. In this embodiment of the control regime, the supercharger is not used under these operating conditions, although in other embodiments there may be particular circumstances in which the supercharger is called into operation, for example when the throttle is operated particularly aggressively.

FIG. 5 is a table which illustrates how the first clutch 32 and the second clutch 34 are operated for a number of different scenarios, according to this embodiment of the control regime. The table additionally indicates whether the armature 28 of the electric motor is used to drive the planets 18 in each scenario. It should be noted that there are three states for the armature 28: “driven” in which the armature 28 is driven electrically to turn the planets 18 for the purpose of adjusting the rotational speed of the impeller 24; “not driven” in which the armature 28 is idle and free to rotate in either sense and at any speed; and “acting as additional generator” in which case the armature 28 is locked to the annulus 16 through the closure of the second clutch, so that the armature 28 may be driven by the impeller 24 or the pulley 12 to act as an additional generator as described above. More detailed explanations of each scenario are outlined below.

A “cold-start” scenario refers to starting the vehicle engine using a starter motor when the engine is cold, i.e. when it has not been used for more than a few minutes. During a cold-start procedure, the supercharger is not used, as this would place unnecessary strain on engine components. Also, there is no need to use the supercharger during a cold-start, as the vehicle is not moving and therefore there is no torque demand placed on the engine. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, during a cold-start procedure, both the first clutch 32 and the second clutch 34 are open. Additionally the motor armature 28 does not drive the planets 18. By opening the first clutch 32 at this time the supercharger is disengaged, and therefore the vehicle does not unnecessarily expend energy driving the second armature 14 b and the supercharger impeller 24, thereby improving fuel efficiency during the cold-start procedure.

As neither the supercharger components nor the motor armature 28 are driven during a cold-start procedure, it does not particularly matter whether the second clutch 34 is open or closed during the cold-start. However, the next step after a cold-start is for the vehicle to pull away. Therefore, by arranging for the second clutch 34 to be open during a cold-start, the second clutch 34 is placed in the correct position in readiness for when the vehicle needs to pull away. As the vehicle pulls away, a torque demand is placed on the engine, at which time the supercharger impeller 24 is called into operation. Therefore, the second clutch 34 needs to be open when the vehicle is pulling away. If the second clutch 34 were closed initially when the engine received the torque demand, the second clutch 34 would first need to be opened before the supercharger impeller 24 could operate. Therefore, by opening the second clutch 34 during a cold-start, the vehicle may offer improved responsiveness in the event that an initial torque demand is placed on the engine.

It is noted that in this embodiment of the control regime, in all cases where the first clutch 32 is open, the motor armature 28 is not driven. This is because the motor armature 28 does not have sufficient power to drive the impeller 24. Also, when the first clutch 32 is open, the second armature 14 b and the annulus 16 can rotate freely. Therefore, driving the motor armature 28 in this scenario would result in unpredictable movement of the gear train components. In particular, if the second clutch is open, the impeller 24 is also free to rotate semi-independently of the motor armature 28. Therefore, driving the motor armature 28 may simply result in the armature 28 and planets 18 rotating while the impeller 24 and annulus 16 remained relatively stationary, thereby wasting energy.

A “hot-start” scenario refers to what is commonly known as “stop-start”, in which the vehicle engine uses the generator as a motor in certain conditions, as described previously. As shown in FIG. 5, during a hot-start procedure, both the first clutch 32 and the second clutch 34 are closed. By closing the first clutch 32, both the first and the second armatures 14 a, 14 b may be driven by the generator, and therefore enabling the full capacity of the generator to be utilised for providing a drive force. In addition to this, as the second clutch 34 is closed, the motor armature 28 may be driven in cooperation with the generator armature 14, in order to maximise the drive force available. This drive force is used to drive the pulley 12, thus driving the auxiliaries drive belt, and therefore re-starting the engine.

Alternatively, in another embodiment the generator armature 14′ and the motor armature 28 are used in cooperation to drive the vehicle over short distances, thus acting as a micro-hybrid as described above. This arrangement is equivalent to a “hot-start” except for the fact that the engine is not supplied with fuel in order to commence normal operation, instead the generator armature 14′ and the motor armature 28 continue to drive the engine in order to provide torque to the vehicle transmission to propel the car. Accordingly, the configuration for the supercharger generator arrangement 110 in this scenario is the same as for a “hot-start”, and therefore is not listed separately in FIG. 5.

In “idle” the engine is running but the vehicle is not moving. Therefore, there is no torque demand placed on the vehicle, so the supercharger is not required. In order to minimise the fuel consumption of the engine when idling, the first clutch 32 is opened to isolate the pulley 12 from the second armature 14 b, the epicyclic gear train and the impeller 24, thus minimising the load attached to the engine. Therefore, only the first armature 14 a is rotated when idling, which means that the generator produces only the energy which is required for normal operation, and does not burden the engine by generating excess electrical energy which is not required at that time.

FIG. 5 indicates that the arrangement of the second clutch 34 is not applicable in idling conditions. However, as described above, the second clutch 34 is preferably open at this time, such that the second clutch 34 is ready for a new torque demand being placed on the vehicle engine.

The “idle after start low ambient” condition shown in FIG. 5 relates to a particular condition where the engine is idling and the ambient temperature is low. Under such conditions, the normal power requirements of the vehicle may be increased in order to heat the interior of the vehicle. In normal idling conditions, the engine idles at low speed, and therefore the generator does not produce much electrical energy. Therefore, in order to improve the generating capacity of the generator when the power requirements are raised, both the first clutch 32 and the second clutch 34 are closed. By closing the first clutch 32, the second armature 14 b is coupled to the first armature 14 a, therefore increasing the generating capacity of the generator. By also closing the second clutch 34, the generator armature 14′ is effectively coupled to the motor armature 28, such that the two rotate together. The motor armature 28 is not driven at this point; instead it is used as an additional generator, to further increase the generating capacity of the vehicle as described previously.

The “steady state−low load<4000 rpm” condition relates to when a vehicle is cruising at a substantially constant speed, with an engine speed below 4000 rpm. When the vehicle is travelling at a constant speed, the torque demand placed on the engine is relatively low. Therefore, the supercharger impeller 24 is not loaded at this point as the additional torque which it provides is not required. In order to avoid the impeller 24 idling and therefore wasting energy and consuming additional fuel, the first clutch 32 is opened. In this way, the impeller 24 is disassociated from the engine, and is therefore not driven unnecessarily. As the first clutch 32 is open, the motor armature 28 is not driven at this stage for the reasons described above. Specifically, in this condition there is no requirement for the impeller 24 to be driven, and therefore there is no reason to drive the motor armature 28. If the engine speed is sufficient, towards the higher end of the range for this condition, the turbocharger may be used, primarily in order to improve the operating efficiency of the engine by extracting energy from the exhaust gases.

The “steady state−high load<1500 rpm” condition relates to circumstances in which a high load is placed on the vehicle, but the engine speed is kept low. For example, this could relate to a scenario in which a vehicle is towing a load in a high gear. This example applies mainly to vehicles provided with a manual gearbox, as an automatic gearbox would normally shift into a lower gear when towing in order to avoid stalling.

In this situation, the torque demand placed on the engine is relatively high, but the engine speed is too low for the turbocharger to operate effectively. Therefore, the supercharger impeller 24 is loaded in the chamber and driven in order to increase engine performance. To achieve this, the first clutch is closed 32, the second clutch 34 is opened and the motor armature 28 is driven, such that the impeller 24 is driven in the normal manner described previously.

“Steady state>4000 rpm” refers to situations where the vehicle is cruising at a substantially constant speed, and the engine speed is above 4000 rpm. In general this relates to cruising at high speed, for example in motorway driving. As the engine speed is high, the turbocharger is used in order to improve the fuel economy and to provide any additional power which may be required. Therefore, the supercharger is deactivated in the same way as for the “steady state−low load<4000 rpm” condition.

The “transient<4000 rpm” mode relates to a condition where there is a sudden change in torque demand when the engine speed is below 4000 rpm. When the engine is running below this speed, the turbocharger is running at a relatively low speed. When the torque demand changes, for example if the driver opens the throttle, the engine responds by rapidly increasing the engine speed. The turbocharger cannot speed up at the same rate as the engine, and therefore there will be a difference between the desired manifold pressure and the actual manifold pressure as the turbocharger catches up with the engine, resulting in “turbo lag”. The supercharger can be used to alleviate this problem, by maintaining the required manifold pressure during the time that the turbocharger is spooling up. Therefore, for this condition the first clutch 32 is closed, the second clutch 34 is open, and the motor armature 28 is driven, so that the supercharger operates to drive the impeller 24 in the normal way, as described previously.

The “transient>4000 rpm” relates to a similar condition to the previously described “transient<4000 rpm” condition, with the difference being that the engine speed is above 4000 rpm. When the engine is running above this speed, the turbocharger is also running at a relatively high speed. Therefore, if there is a change in the torque demand, and therefore a change in the required manifold pressure, the turbocharger is able to meet these demands without falling behind the engine with a resulting “turbo lag”. Therefore, the supercharger is not required in this situation. As such, the first clutch 32 is opened, to disassociate the supercharger from the engine and minimise the load on the engine by preventing the supercharger from idling. Accordingly, the motor armature 28 is not driven, for the reasons described previously for when the first clutch 32 is open. The second clutch 34 may be either open or closed in this situation as the gear train is not being driven. However, as the vehicle is moving at high speed in this scenario, it is likely that the supercharger will not be required again until the vehicle has slowed significantly. Therefore, it may be preferable to have the second clutch 34 closed, in readiness for using the supercharger generator arrangement 110 in “Regen Mode” as the vehicle slows, which is described below.

“Regen Mode” relates to a situation where a vehicle is slowing down under engine braking. As the engine continues to turn, the pulley 12 is rotated. Therefore, there is an opportunity to extract some energy from the system which would otherwise be wasted, by using the rotation of the pulley 12 to generate electrical energy to be stored in the vehicle battery. In order to extract as much energy as possible, the control regime is arranged to optimise the generating capacity of the supercharger generator arrangement 110 by using both the first armature 14 a and the second armature 14 b, as well as using the motor armature 28 as an additional generator. Therefore, both the first clutch 32 and the second clutch 34 are closed, so that the first armature 14 a, the second armature 14 b, and the motor armature 28 are all effectively coupled together. In this way the armatures 14 a, 14 b, 28 can cooperate to generate electrical energy in the same way as for the “idle after start low ambient”.

FIG. 7 illustrates a process 58 for implementing the above-described control regime. In this embodiment, the process 58 is conducted by the EMU. The EMU identifies at step 60 the current operating condition as defined above with reference to FIG. 5. The EMU then determines at step 62 the appropriate configuration for the supercharger generator arrangement 110 for the condition identified at step 60. The EMU then checks at step 64 whether the supercharger generator arrangement 110 is configured correctly. If the arrangement 110 is configured correctly, the process 58 ends at step 68. If the arrangement 110 is not configured correctly, the EMU reconfigures at step 66 the supercharger generator arrangement 110 accordingly. The process 58 then ends at step 68.

As shown in FIG. 8, the invention also extends to a vehicle 70 comprising a supercharger generator arrangement 110 as described above.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, the invention also extends, in an alternative embodiment, to a supercharger generator arrangement 120 which is provided with a first clutch 32 only. The second clutch 34 of the previously described embodiments is not included in this embodiment, however, the supercharger generator arrangement 120 of this embodiment is otherwise identical to the arrangement 110 of FIG. 3. In particular, as with the above described embodiments, the generator armature 14′ is divided into first and second armatures 14 a, 14 b, and the first clutch 32 is used to selectively couple the first armature 14 a to the second armature 14 b. Thus, this embodiment provides a variable generating capacity in the same way as the previously described embodiments.

As this embodiment does not include the second clutch 34, the option to effectively couple the motor armature 28 to the generator armature 14′ is not available. Therefore, the control regime described previously with reference to FIG. 5 is limited for the arrangement 120 of this embodiment, such that only those scenarios in which the second clutch 34 is open (or not applicable) are possible. Therefore, this arrangement 120 is not able to operate in the “hot start”, “idle after start low ambient” or “Regen” modes.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that the invention could be modified to take many alternative forms to that described herein, without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

Embodiments of the present invention may be understood by reference to the following numbered paragraphs:

1. A vehicle supercharger assembly comprising:

-   -   a dual generator comprising first and second co-axial relatively         rotatable armatures, and a first disengageable clutch between         the armatures, said first armature being adapted for permanent         drive from a source of motive power, and said second armature         being driven by said first armature on engagement of said first         clutch;     -   a supercharcharger impeller, the second armature driving the         impeller mechanically via a gear train;     -   an electric motor coupled to the gear train and operable to         adjust the rotational speed of the impeller;     -   wherein, in use, the electric motor is electrically driven on         demand from a generator comprising the second armature.

2. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the second armature is associated with a generating capacity equal to or greater than said first armature.

3. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the first and second armatures are journalled one within the other for rotation about a common axis.

4. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the first clutch is provided axially between said armatures.

5. A supercharger assembly according to paragraphs 1, wherein one or both of the first and second armatures comprises an electric motor.

6. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the impeller is co-axial with the first and second armatures.

7. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 6, wherein the impeller is journalled in the second armature.

8. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the dual generator is operable as a dual motor to drive said source of motive power.

9. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the gear train is an epicyclic gear train.

10. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 9 the second armature driving said impeller mechanically via the annulus and planets of the epicyclic gear train and said electric motor driving the planet carrier of the epicyclic gear train.

11. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 9, comprising a second clutch for selectively locking and unlocking the epicyclic gear train.

12. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 11, wherein the electric motor comprises a third armature which is arranged coaxially with the first and second armatures;

-   -   wherein the electric motor provides variable, bi-directional         drive to adjust the rotational speed of the supercharger         impeller when the gear train is not locked.

13. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 11, wherein the second clutch is arranged to lock the epicyclic gear train such that relative rotation of the planets and the annulus is prevented.

14. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 13, wherein the second clutch is in the form of a dog clutch arranged to interengage the annulus and at least one of the planets.

15. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 14, wherein disengagement of the dog clutch is effected hydraulically.

16. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 11, wherein the dual generator is arranged to be operated as a motor to drive the first armature, and the generator and motor are arranged to cooperate when the epicyclic gear train is locked by the second clutch, thereby to supply a drive force to a vehicle engine.

17. A supercharger assembly according to paragraph 11 wherein the electric motor comprises a third armature which is arranged coaxially with the first and second armatures, and wherein the third armature is operable as a secondary generator to increase the overall generating capacity of the vehicle when the first clutch is engaged and the epicyclic gear train is locked by the second clutch.

18. A control unit for a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, and comprising an electronic control unit for controlling operation of the first clutch and the electric motor, and for enabling the supercharger.

19. A control unit for a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 11, and comprising an electronic control unit for controlling operation of the first clutch, the second clutch and the electric motor, and for enabling the supercharger.

20. A control unit according to paragraph 18, wherein said control unit determines coupling of said electric motor with the generator comprising the second armature.

21. A control unit according to paragraph 18, wherein said control unit is further adapted to configure said dual generator as a dual motor adapted to drive said source of motive power.

22. A method of preparing for operation of a vehicle supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, and comprising the steps of:

-   -   I. detecting a requirement for supercharging,     -   II. engaging the first clutch to mechanically couple the first         and second armatures, and operating the motor to bring the         impeller to a desired speed.

23. A method according to paragraph 22, wherein said motor is electrically coupled to a generator associated with said second armature.

24. A method of operating a vehicle supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, and comprising the preparing method of paragraph 23, and the further steps of:

-   -   I. bringing said supercharger on load, and electrically varying         the speed of said motor to maintain the output of said         supercharger at a desired rate.

25. A method of providing a belt integrated starter generator comprising configuring the dual generator of a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1 as a dual motor, and engaging said first clutch.

26. A method of providing an anti-stalling device for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the steps of configuring the dual generator of a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1 as a dual motor, and engaging the first clutch.

27. A method according to paragraph 25, comprising operating said dual motor and said electric motor in unison.

28. A method of operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, the method comprising disengaging the first clutch in at least one of the following conditions: (a) during an engine cold-start procedure; and (b) when the vehicle is idling.

29. A method of operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 11, the method comprising disengaging the first clutch in any one of the following conditions: (a) during an engine cold-start procedure; and (b) when the vehicle is idling; the method further comprising unlocking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch when the first clutch is disengaged.

30. A method of operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, the method comprising engaging the first clutch in any one of the following conditions: (1) when the ambient temperature is low and the engine is idling; and (2) when the speed of the vehicle is decreasing and there is no torque demand placed on the engine.

31. A method of operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 17, the method comprising engaging the first clutch, locking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch and operating the third armature as a secondary generator in any one of the following conditions: (1) when the ambient temperature is low and the engine is idling; and (2) when the speed of the vehicle is decreasing and there is no torque demand placed on the engine.

32. A method of operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 16, the method comprising engaging the first clutch and locking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch, and subsequently using the drive force to restart the engine following a cessation of engine operation.

33. A method of operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 16, the method comprising engaging the first clutch and locking the epicyclic gear train using the second clutch, and subsequently using the drive force to provide motive power to the vehicle.

34. A vehicle comprising an exhaust-driven turbocharger and a supercharger assembly according to any one of paragraph 1, wherein the supercharger assembly and the turbocharger are arranged to operate sequentially.

35. A vehicle according to paragraph 34, wherein the vehicle is arranged to use the turbocharger and not the supercharger when the engine speed is above a first threshold.

36. A vehicle according to paragraph 35, wherein the vehicle is arranged to use the supercharger and not the turbocharger if the engine speed is below a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold.

37. A method for operating a vehicle according to paragraph 34, the method comprising disengaging the first clutch when the engine speed is above the first threshold.

38. A method for operating a vehicle according to paragraph 34, the method comprising engaging the first clutch when the engine speed falls below the second threshold.

39. A method for operating a vehicle according to paragraph 36, the method comprising disengaging the first clutch during steady-state engine operating conditions when the engine speed is above the second threshold, and when the vehicle is towing a relatively high load.

40. A method for operating a vehicle according to paragraph 35, when dependent on paragraph 11, the method comprising engaging the first clutch and unlocking the gear train during a period of increasing torque demand upon the engine when the engine is operating below the first threshold.

41. A method for operating a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1, wherein the second armature provides additional generating capacity when the first clutch is engaged, and wherein the method comprises disengaging the first clutch when the additional generating capacity is not required.

42. A vehicle comprising a supercharger assembly according to paragraph 1.

43. A vehicle comprising a control unit according to paragraph 18.

This application claims priority from UK Patent Application No. GB1210679.5, filed 15 Jun. 2012, the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein. 

1. A vehicle supercharger assembly comprising: a dual generator comprising first and second co-axial relatively rotatable armatures, and a first disengageable clutch between the first and second armatures, said first armature being adapted for permanent drive from a source of motive power, and said second armature being driven by said first armature on engagement of said first clutch; a supercharger impeller, the second armature driving the supercharger impeller mechanically via a gear train; an electric motor coupled to the gear train and operable to adjust a rotational speed of the supercharger impeller; wherein, in use, the electric motor is electrically driven on demand from the dual generator.
 2. The supercharger assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second armature is associated with a generating capacity equal to or greater than said first armature.
 3. (canceled)
 4. The supercharger assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first clutch is provided axially between said first and second armatures.
 5. The supercharger assembly according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first and second armatures comprises an electric motor. 6-7. (canceled)
 8. The supercharger assembly according to claim 1, wherein the dual generator is operable as a dual motor to drive said source of motive power.
 9. The supercharger assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gear train is an epicyclic gear train.
 10. The supercharger assembly according to claim 9, wherein the epicyclic gear train comprises an annulus, a planet carrier, and planets, wherein the second armature is configured to drive said supercharger impeller mechanically via the annulus and planets of the epicyclic gear train; and wherein said electric motor is configured to drive the planet carrier of the epicyclic gear train.
 11. The supercharger assembly according to claim 9, comprising a second clutch for selectively locking and unlocking the epicyclic gear train.
 12. The supercharger assembly according to claim 11, wherein the electric motor comprises a third armature which is arranged coaxially with the first and second armatures; wherein the electric motor provides variable, bi-directional drive to adjust the rotational speed of the supercharger impeller when the epicyclic gear train is not locked.
 13. The supercharger assembly according to claim 11, wherein the second clutch is arranged to lock the epicyclic gear train such that relative rotation of planets and an annulus of the epicyclic gear train is prevented.
 14. The supercharger assembly according to claim 13, wherein the second clutch is in the form of a dog clutch arranged to interengage the annulus and at least one of the planets.
 15. The supercharger assembly according to claim 14, wherein disengagement of the dog clutch is effected hydraulically.
 16. The supercharger assembly according to claim 11, wherein the dual generator is arranged to be operated as a motor to drive the first armature, and the dual generator and motor are arranged to cooperate when the epicyclic gear train is locked by the second clutch, thereby to supply a drive force to a vehicle engine.
 17. The supercharger assembly according to claim 11, wherein the electric motor comprises a third armature which is arranged coaxially with the first and second armatures, and wherein the third armature is operable as a secondary generator to increase overall generating capacity of the vehicle when the first clutch is engaged and the epicyclic gear train is locked by the second clutch.
 18. A control unit for a supercharger assembly according to claim 11, and comprising an electronic control unit for controlling operation of the first clutch and the electric motor, and for enabling a supercharger of the supercharger assembly.
 19. The control unit for the supercharger assembly according to claim 18, and comprising an electronic control unit for controlling operation of the first clutch, the second clutch and the electric motor, and for enabling the supercharger of the supercharger assembly.
 20. The control unit according to claim 18, wherein said control unit determines coupling of said electric motor with the dual generator comprising the second armature.
 21. The control unit according to claim 18, wherein said control unit is further adapted to configure said dual generator as a dual motor adapted to drive said source of motive power. 22-41. (canceled)
 42. A vehicle comprising the supercharger assembly according to claim
 1. 43. (canceled)
 44. A vehicle according to claim 42, comprising an exhaust-driven turbocharger, wherein the supercharger assembly and the turbocharger are arranged to operate sequentially. 